Paul's first missionary journey (Acts 13:14) - JSS3 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note

Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, the leaders of the church at Antioch chose Paul and Barnabas for the special assignment of ministering to the Gentiles. And so with prayers, and fasting and laying on of hands, Paul and Barnabas, with John Mark as their attendant, were sent forth on their first missionary journey.

 The missionaries passed through Seleucia, Cyprus and Salamis and arrived at Paphos, the capital of Cyprus and the seat of government where they met a magician, a Jewish false prophet, named Bar-jesus or Elymas. He was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man who invited Paul and Barnabas over to preach the word of God to him. Elymas, the magician tried all he could to turn the pro-consul away from the Christian faith. Saul who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit looked intently at Elymas and said:

“You son of devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making croocked the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” (Acts 13:10-11)

Immediately, the magician became blind and he went about looking for people to lead him by the hand. The proconsul was surprised at what he saw and he believed the gospel of Jesus Christ.